Cacciatore It means hunter in Italian and originated from the consumption of this salami during hunting, as it was easy to transport and did not spoil. It is usually 15 to 18 centimeters long and is cured with spices, wine and herbs. It's great to accompany a good cheese and Italian bread. Continue reading Receita de salame italiano cacciatore
Category: Recipes
Is barbecue bad for your health?
Meat roasted on a barbecue, which by default has direct exposure to smoke from burning charcoal, is equivalent to a rapid and very hot smoking process, therefore it will inevitably contain particles of aromatic hydrocarbons, which are responsible for the specific flavor of the whole and any edible product that is exposed to smoke from burning any organic material. Continue reading Churrasco faz mal à saúde?
Are smoked foods bad for your health?
Preservatives
Almost all smoked products use sodium nitrate or nitrite as preservative agents. These additives mainly help prevent the proliferation of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, responsible for botulism. Continue reading Defumados fazem mal à saúde?
Smoking temperatures
Hot smoking This means that the process will take place at a temperature above 65 degrees inside the smoker. The recommended temperature is 82 degrees for sausages (as they contain a lot of fat) and 93 degrees for whole pieces of meat, but it is possible to vary according to your needs or product specificities. Continue reading Temperaturas para defumação
Sodium Nitrite and Nitrate Curing Salts
Sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite, also known as curing salts, are preservative food additives widely used in the food industry, they can be used together or alone. They have a very similar chemical composition. Precisely for this reason, many people get confused when deciding which of the two is best used when preparing preserves or meats that will require periods of curing, smoking, fermentation or extending their shelf life for later consumption. The difference in the chemical composition of these two additives is just one oxygen atom, sodium nitrite (NaNO2) has two oxygen atoms, while sodium nitrate (NaNO3) has one more oxygen atom. Continue reading Sais de Cura Nitrito e Nitrato de sódio
Smoking tips
Natural smoking
- The longer the smoking time, the greater the loss of moisture, which will consequently result in a higher proportion of salt. The product becomes drier and saltier, but has a much longer shelf life. Continue reading Dicas de defumação
Quick smoking
Hot and quick smoking is the most common method of smoking. Continuous smoke is applied at 41-60°C for 30 minutes to 2 hours, resulting in a loss of between 5 and 12% in weight. This is not recommended for large pieces of meat that are stored for a long period of time. Continue reading Defumação rápida
Long smoking with moderate heat
Continuous smoking at 23-40°C for 4-48 hours, depending on the diameter of the meat, maintaining humidity at 80% and medium smoke quantity. In this process, weight loss varies between 2% and 10%, with this difference directly linked to the time spent smoking. Continue reading Defumação longa com calor moderado
Smoking and moisture loss of meat
Smoked meats lose, on average, around 10% of moisture during the smoking process. This depends on the temperature, smoking time and humidity inside the smoker. Eliminating moisture was important when products were smoked for preservation purposes. Continue reading Defumação e perda de umidade da carne
How is cold smoking done?
Cold smoking is a process that smokes meat without exposure to heat, generally at temperatures below 32°C. Unlike hot smoking, this process can take days or weeks to complete, and tends to result in drier, saltier foods. Continue reading Como é feita a Defumação fria?